


The Christmas Stockings

by Muze



Series: The married bedtime adventures of Esther and Babbers [1]
Category: AUSTEN Jane - Works, Sanditon (TV 2019), Sanditon - Jane Austen
Genre: 12 Days of Sanditon, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-16
Updated: 2019-12-16
Packaged: 2021-02-26 07:42:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,426
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21819886
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Muze/pseuds/Muze
Summary: Lord Babington can't wait until his beloved wife opens her presents. At the stroke of midnight, he encourages her to take a look into her stockings. His silly gift turns out to be a gift that keeps on giving. AKA a Christmas time sexy times for Lord and Lady Babington story.For the 12 days of Sanditon challenge: day 4: stockings
Relationships: Lord Babington/Esther Denham
Series: The married bedtime adventures of Esther and Babbers [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1579099
Comments: 8
Kudos: 50





	The Christmas Stockings

It was the 25th of December, the clock had just announced that midnight had passed. Christmas Eve had turned into the night of Christmas Day.

Esther Babington sat in front of her vanity, taking out her hairpins, when her husband walked into the room.

‘You are smiling way too much. What is it?’ Esther noticed with feigned annoyance.

‘Seeing you often brings a smile to my face, dear. But tonight it’s because… well, since Christmas Day has technically begun, we can open our presents.’

Esther bit on her lip and kept on feeling for hairpins.

‘Try not to smile, dear. I’ll start thinking my mellow behaviour is growing on you’, he laughed as he approached her.

‘You remain a ridiculous man’, she sighed as she let her head fall against his frame.

His hands took hold of her red hair and started taking out the remaining pins.

‘What does that say about your taste in men?’

Replies ranging from ‘That I care more for wealth than intellect’ and ‘my choice was limited’ crossed her mind. She would have used them a couple of months ago, but Lord Babington, despite his good-humoured nature, could still be hurt. She felt disinclined to say anything too rude to him, but her old habits didn’t die easily. There’d been times, more than she cared to admit, she’d lashed out at him without reason, or had treated him cruelly because she’d been annoyed by something else. She had a hard time opening up and telling him about her problems instead of trying to hide them by directing her anger at him.

‘I suppose I had the silly thought that the merits of you as a husband outweighed the heavy burden of having to deal with your abnormal cheerfulness and bad jokes.’

‘Quite silly’, he agreed as her hair tumbled down.

His fingers slid towards her scalp and gently started massaging it.

‘Which merits do I have?’

‘Are you digging for compliments?’

‘Another failed attempt. No doubt that if you decide to come up with a compliment, it will also be able to serve as an insult.’

‘You know me too well already.’

‘I like knowing you.’

A soft moan escaped her lips as his fingers found just the right spot to massage.

‘Alright,’ she decided after a five minute scalp massage, ‘you suggested unwrapping the gifts. Why are you so intent on opening them tonight?’

‘Not all, just the little ones in the stockings.’

‘Oddly specific’, she noticed as she critically studied his face.

‘Whatever could be in them that you are so eager to take what’s in them tonight?’

‘Perhaps I just like opening presents.’

She rolled her eyes and stood upright.

‘Fine, if you so wish it. You may hand me mine.’

His lips parted. During the months they’d been married, Esther had allowed herself to analyse his behaviour. She’d liked and enjoyed many of the things he tended to do before they’d gotten married… From his jokes, to his empathy, his understanding and his perseverance. But she had forbidden herself to think of his merits until she learned of Edward’s tryst with Clara. Turned out that if she wasn’t trying to find reasons to be annoyed by his behaviour, she quickly found things to admire and love.

Liking him, and even loving him, had come so easily, and his behaviour managed to endear him to her time and time again. One of the things she’d noticed was that he always got a certain expression on his face when she bossed him around, and it wasn’t one of displeasure…Rather the polar opposite.

‘Lady Babington’, he said as he handed her the large stocking.

She threw him a look and weighed the stocking. It wasn’t particularly heavy, nor did there seem to be large solid objects in it.

His smile grew as a wrinkle formed between her eyebrows.

Her slim hand disappeared into the stocking.

Soft, silky fabric… lace… silk. She formed a fist around the fabrics and pulled them out.

They were stockings.

In white openwork lacing, ivory silk, cream with lace appliqué and then… two pairs of black frilly stockings.

‘You are aware that you’re not intended to take it this literally?’

‘Why not?’

‘Because – ah…’

‘Are the best gifts not the useful ones?’

It was a truly silly gift, but then again she shouldn’t be surprised. He delighted in teasing her. He knew just what would get a reaction out of her.

She put the big Christmas stocking and the pale stockings on her vanity, and kept the black ones in her hands for closer examination.

‘Black?’

An odd choice for a woman’s stockings.

‘You enjoy wearing darker clothes and sturdier textiles, so it’s not like they’d shine through. They’d rather fit your shoes and dress.’

‘People will find it strange to see black stockings though, whether I’m able to wear them under my dresses or not.’

‘You could always wear them at home. I won’t look shocked.’

‘Won’t you?’

‘No.’

‘So just… The stockings?’

He swallowed, staring at the black fabric she was wrapping around her hand. His imagination immediately conjured an imagine.

‘You could wear one of the dresses you wear around the house, of course. I promised I wouldn’t force or constrain you. You’re free to do with them as you please, you can choose not to wear them.’

She noticed how he looked at the way she was wrapping the black stockings around her hand.

He seemed mesmerized by them.

His response to her handling the stockings, created a now familiar heat in her belly.

‘You know, for clothing items intended to safeguard my propriety, you seem far too fond of them.’

‘What I think is… trivial. They’re your present. What do you think of them?’

‘I think they are…’ She bit her lip in an attempt not to laugh.

‘I think I could find a good use for them. After all, they’re nice an thights’, she said as she gave them a pull.

His mouth opened and closed again.

He didn’t even laugh at her deliberately bad joke.

She didn’t need any more proof to know her husband’s brain had gone into hibernation.

‘I believe I might like them.’

She stepped forward and pressed her lips against his. As she did, she could feel his enthusiasm.

Would it be wrong to act out on the idea she’d just conjured?

He’d always insisted on her freedom. He wanted her to behave as she pleased, but it would be quite bold.

They’d barely been married for a season, she had little experience and little confidence in the field… But, there might be a chance he’d like it.

He would never make her feel bad for trying something, even if it didn’t work out. This was Babs, not Edward, he wouldn’t put her down for saying or trying something.

She stepped back again, unwrapping the tights and pushing him into her chair.

His eyebrow creased… He was questioning what she was doing.

Was it too weird?

 _He doesn’t yet know… Continue_ , the darker part of her mind encouraged her.

He was staring at her without blinking. He was obviously curious.

‘You might not want to constrain me’, she said as she wrapped the first stocking around his left wrist.

He didn’t offer any resistance as she bent down to tie his other wrist to the chair. She bent over in a way that he got a long luxurious look at her cleavage. His fingers twitched, but that was it.

‘But it seems you don’t mind being constrained yourself.’ 

She sat down on his lap, her left hand travelling to his nether regions.

She wished she could see his face, but she didn’t dare to look at him as she was doing these kinds of things yet.

A strangled moan left his lips.

Her hand shot away at the sound, and her eyes sought out his. His hips buckled at the sudden loss of contact.

‘Please.’

Oh, was he begging already?

She couldn’t hide her smile anymore. Any feelings of shame and awkwardness melted away by his positive response to her actions.

‘Please what?’ she asked innocently as she untied his cravat.

‘You know…’ she said as she took the cravat and tied it around his mouth.

‘They look quite lovely on you.’

She started unbuttoning his vest and shirt.

‘Perhaps, you should wear them more often?’ she suggested as she leaned into him while pushing his shirt from his shoulders. His chest was searing hot and warmed her colder body. She closed her eyes and allowed herself a couple of seconds to relax against his body, taking in his scent and the feel of his body against hers. Her fingers still played with the fabric of his shirt, which she only managed to get down to his elbows. It got stuck on his underarms, another piece of clothing restricting his movement.

His hips buckled again.

This time it was she who moaned.

Her hands shot to his hair as her face turned upwards to kiss him. But she was confronted with his bandaged mouth. She felt the need to kiss him, but where?

Her eyes travelled towards his neck… Hadn’t he kissed her there before?

Her stomach fluttered at the memory.

Her lips traced his neck, searching and finding a comfortable spot to kiss him as she rested her head.

A hum made his throat vibrate. The fire within her grew.

She felt odd, taking the lead like this with minimal participation on his side, but the nervousness excited her as well.

Her hands went from his hair to his back. She dug her nails in his back, an a move which never failed to get a reaction from him. He moaned and moved again.

Almost instinctively, her mouth opened and she bit down.

The next moan was so guttural and long that she was immobilized with surprise.

She bit down again, another moan, his hips buckled again, three times now.

Hers flexed in response.

She felt herself reaching the end of something… The game would come to a stop soon.

She wanted his lips against hers, and the weight of him on top of her.

She pulled back, regretting the loss of contact.

A red mark remained on the skin where she’d bitten him. As she touched the still wet skin, her stomach turned and twisted. Seeing a physical sign of her actions took her breath away.

His blazing blue eyes looked at her with anticipation.

She bit her lip. What could she do next?

Her fingers glided over his shoulders, and down his chest, her nails pressing against his skin. His eyes fell shut as she left pink nail marks on his body.

She remembered how the first few times, she’d been too nervous to look at him. He didn’t look like the sculptures, nor like Edward. He wasn’t as fit as the rest of his friends. Not that he was in a bad shape, but still, seeing a naked man, and one so different from the sculptures and paintings, had made her blush.

But now, every time he undressed, she got another feeling, something aching to odd fascination… She couldn’t look away. She liked the feel of his solid body against her, and now found the thought that she could’ve had hard muscles and sharp hipbones on top of her quite repelling, and every morning, as he held her in his arms, her nails softly raked through the soft curly hair on top of chest, and she couldn’t imagine wanting anything else.

She pulled her fingers upward again, the lines turning even more red.

The burning fire inside her belly had spread, and now the heat was located in her nether regions as well.

_Screw it._

She wanted him too much. Perhaps next time, she could prepare her little act, instead of ending it so abruptly. But right now, she didn’t care.

‘Oh, Lord Babington, what a sight you are. Are you alright? You seem to be struggling. Perhaps… I should let you go to bed, instead of teasing you so.’

She untied his hands first, and only then pulled down his cravat.

‘You’, he breathed. She bit her lip as she stepped back in anticipation.

What would he do?

‘Keep amazing me.’

He took her in his arms, his lips crashing against hers with a burning need.

‘Extraordinary’, he breathed against her lips as his hands pushed her back.

The bed was close now.

His lips left hers for a second to remove his coat, vest and shirt.

His mouth found hers again.

Another step towards the bed.

His teeth sinking into her lower lip.

The back of her knees touching the bed.

Her falling down on it, her legs bent around the side of the bed.

Him sinking on his knees, eyes gleaming as hers connected with his.

His teeth craftily undid the satin chords keeping her stockings up. She could feel them slithering down her legs, followed by her husband's soft cheek and light stubble.

A tongue on her knee had her gasping for breath, and the cold night air kissed the wet skin immediately afterwards. His hands travelled across her body, pulling at all bows and buttons keeping her clothes together until she was completely naked, his lips followed every inch of newly uncovered skin.

Her head swam in a lake of never-ending ecstasy.

He never shied away from showing his love for his wife. But it left her gasping for breath each time. She wondered if it would ever stop feeling like this.

She used her elbows to get away from him towards the center of the bed, as he crawled towards her like a hunter closing in on its prey.

‘I thought it would be better to give you such a present in the privacy of our chambers, since it was a bit more private… But I must admit, I never considered this turn of events. Do keep surprising me, lady Babington’

‘Hush and get on with it, or I’ll have to restrain your mouth again… So you’ll know where your priorities need to be.’

A smile appeared on his face.

‘I apologize, I wouldn’t want to go against my lady’s wishes.’

‘You shouldn’t.’

‘Most certainly not.’

‘But I’m glad that I’ve found a solution… In case you forget yourself again.’

The last thing she could discern, before she lost herself to pleasure, was the gleam in his eyes right before his lips met hers again.

Perhaps the gift wasn’t so silly after all.


End file.
